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31 August 2004

Aimhigher helps youngsters reach their goals

Raising attainment, awareness and aspirations through football, bringing pupils into university science laboratories, and online mentoring, are just a few of the eight innovative national schemes which have today received a total of £5.24 million in funding from HEFCE under the Aimhigher initiative. The initiative aims to increase the number of people in higher education from a wide range of under-represented groups.

The projects highlight to young people the valuable role that higher education can play in their lives, and to create viable routes to that education for them. Examples include: a project to establish a mentoring and tutoring network for school pupils by HE students; an innovative scheme which will combine out of school hours homework and coursework sessions with football coaching and mentoring sessions with ex-footballers and local students; a partnership involving the Royal Society of Chemistry, 12 higher education institutions and three multi-national pharmaceutical companies to encourage more pupils to take up chemical science courses; and a scheme to raise awareness in schools, FE and HE of the needs of students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. A full list of the funded projects can be found in 'notes to editors'.

A total of £200 million of funding has been set aside for the Aimhigher initiative over the next two years, the majority of which is for activities on sub-regional and regional levels. Today's funding announcement relates to activities that cut across regions and would operate more effectively at a national level, or examples of innovative practice which it would be beneficial to 'roll out' nationally.

The projects will run until March 2006. During this period, a further £2 million has been set aside for a rolling programme of funding applications.

John Rushforth, HEFCE's Director of Widening Participation, said:

'We are delighted to be able to announce this funding which supports the development of Aimhigher activity at a national level. The wealth of high quality, innovative and exciting projects throughout the country will in turn help to raise aspirations and encourage under-represented groups to participate in higher education.'

Notes

1.    Aimhigher is an initiative supported by HEFCE, the Department for Education and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council. It aims to widen participation in higher education and increase the number of people who have the abilities and aspirations to benefit from it. The integrated Aimhigher programme now incorporates the former Excellence Challenge and Aimhigher: Partnerships for Progression initiatives.

The objectives of Aimhigher are:

  • to raise aspirations and motivation to enter HE among young people in schools, further education and workplace learning, who are from under-represented groups
  • to raise the attainment of potential HE students, who are from under-represented groups, so that they gain the academic or vocational qualifications and learning skills that will enable them to enter HE
  • to strengthen progression routes into HE via vocational courses, including Apprenticeships, whether they are delivered in schools, colleges or the workplace
  • to raise students' aspirations to attend HE and to apply to the institution and/or course best able to match their abilities
  • to improve the attainment, aspirations, motivation and self-esteem of gifted and talented young people aged 14-19; and improve the quality of identification, provision and support for those students in schools and colleges.

For further information visit the Aimhigher web-site.

2.    The original 'Aimhigher: national activity - invitation to bid' is available in HEFCE Circular letter 07/2004.

3.    HEFCE is a non-departmental government body which distributes public money for teaching and research to universities and colleges in England. In doing so, it aims to promote high quality education and research, within a financially healthy sector. The Council also plays a key role in ensuring accountability and promoting good practice.

4.    Details of the eight funded projects are available. NB: The value of each of the awards is indicative, as details of some projects are yet to be finalised.